Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-03-05
A Heavy Responsibility.

4C nlDOItduCC vi VIC DidiI CduC u
tional Bill to ever Southern State
has been too clearly shown and is
too fully understood to require to be
argued anew. Recent reports from
Louisiana give the startling infor ma
ton that over one-half Of the vot ers
of that State cannot read or write,
and that the nhmber of illiterates
is increasing from year to year, in
stead of diminishing. Expenditures
for educational purposes have reach
hlgh-water mark, it is believed, in
nearly every southern State,i if not in
all, and federal aid must be obtained
or great number Of children, white
and black, will grow up in helpless
ignorance.
The supposed constitutional objec
tions to the Blair billhave been over
come, or, at any rate, the bill has
been shown to be as constitutional
rs many other less deserving meas
ures that have been passed without
any objection. 1t is of supreme con-
sequence, if it is Of any consequence
at all, that the people shall be educa-
ted. IF intelligence, in short, is an
element Of value in the exercise of
the suffrage-if it is necessary for the
success of free institutions and of
government of and by the people,
that they who control the govern
ment shall have trained minds, or at
least enough education to enable
them to read and write-then is this
bill Of more Importance than even
| the bills for the construction of q
navy, or Notifications, or for any
other purpose.
There is always, moreover,the spe-
cial and most urgent reason in favor
of the particular bill question, that
where illiteracy is most glaring and
most dangerous, that is in he south,
it has been made an element of peril
to the south and to the whole coun-
try, by the action of the nation in
imposing the suffrage on race of
people who were utterly unprepared
and unfit for j., and who are hope
lessly unable to educate themselves.
No evidence or reason whatever is
given or can be given, we believe, to
justify the expectation that the
southern states can successfully deal
with the pressing problem of educat
ing this class of their illiterate citi-
zens, and those who are soon to be.
come citizens.
These are the general facts. 4
reasonable and proper bill which
would give the needed aid, land would
correct in every respect the condi-
ton of things to which it relates has
passed the Senate by an overwhelm-
ing vote, but is now tied up in a COM
mittee of the House Of Representa-
tives, with no prospect that it will
be allowed to be voted upon. The
supporters OF the bill would make
no objection f it were fairly voted
down. But they cannot get chance
to have a vote taken. Only by the
action of the committee on rules, at
this stage of the session, can the bill
be taken up and put upon it's pas
sape, but the majority of the com
mittee-Speaker Carlisle, Mr.. Nor
rison and Mr.. Randall constituting
that majority:-have so far fatty re-
fused, or have failed. to allow it to
come before the House.
1t is computed that not more than
seventy members of the House are
opposed to the bill in any of its es-
sential features. The majority of
the House, therefore, are simply
tagged by majority of the commit
tee on rules; and, in the last analy.
sis of the situation, hundreds of thous-
ands of white and black children are
being deprived of the benefits and
advantages of an education because
of the abuse of an arbitrary parlia-
mentary rule by on9 or two men.
The forms and restraints which
were intended and devised for the
protection of the rights of minori-
ty in the House are thus made the
means of muzzling and Stacking the
majority. and of inficting an ire
parable injury upon the children, the
future citizens, of the country. 1t
is curious state of things to begin
with, and it is dangerous, undemo-
cratic and altogether wrong condi-
ton of things to contemplate in its
course and assured consequences
Charleston, S. c., Netos and Cou-
rier, (Dem).